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Alleged patent images for Porsche Panamera convertible turn up
Filed under: Concept Cars, Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Europe, Porsche, Luxury 
Porsche Panamera Convertible patent drawing - click above for high-res image gallery
See, apparently we aren't crazy, though we may have been a little smidge off the mark. Back in October, we reported that Porsche had begun work on an open top version of their then new Panamera super sedan. Only we said it would be a two-door 'cause, you know, drop top and all that. Whoops! If these alleged German patent office images from Autocar are anything to go on, Porsche is going after the highly nuanced (to put it mildly) - and presumably lucrative - four-door convertible market, joining the ranks of such noted automakers as... those dudes in Miami that chop the tops off Chrysler 300Cs. Okay, fine, the Maybach 62 Landaulet is kinda like a four-door convertible (but not quite), though at $1.35 million, it actually might compete in a different segment. And yes, yes - we know - the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is technically a four-door convertible.
But never mind any of that, as judging by these images, the Porsche Panamera convertible looks to be pillarless, something that the neither the $25,000 Jeep nor the mega-bucks Maybach can lay claim to. As such, the Panamera's chassis would presumably have to be beefed up in a major way to retain some semblance of stiffness and rigidity. Though maybe not quite as much as you (and we) might think. If you look closely at the patent images, you can see that, like the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drop Head Coupe, the A-pillar has been reinforced with a mini-triangle. You'll also note that the Pan's butt isn't any bigger than before, suggesting a folding cloth top as opposed to a space-intensive retractable hardtop. Back to chassis strength - thanks to modern production techniques, it's possible to substitute in thicker gauge steel that will increase stiffness without adding as much weight as traditional afterthought convertible chassis bracing.
And where does this leave those of us wishing for a modern-day 928? Not in a very good place, we're afraid. These patent drawings clearly show that the new, most-likely upcoming Panamera Convertible has been engineered as a four-door from the get-go, and never a duoporte. Shame...
[Source: Autocar]Alleged patent images for Porsche Panamera convertible turn up originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments | Report: Porsche really, really wants to build 918 Spyder. Really.
Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Hybrid, Performance, Porsche 
Porsche 918 Spyder Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
We still haven't stopped drooling over the Porsche 918 Spyder concept, a car that debuted at this year's Geneva Motor Show. It's a sexy infusion of both Boxster and Carrera GT influences, with a dash of hybrid power thrown in for good measure. What's not to love about a 500-horsepower, V8-powered roadster that can hit 62 mph in just 3.2 seconds? Oh, and did we mention that, because of its additional electric motors, Porsche claims that the 918 can also achieve up to 78 miles per gallon? We highly approve.
According to Autocar, we aren't the only ones swooning over the 918. In fact, Porsche is apparently fully committed to building a serial version of the Spyder. No official confirmation has been made, but in speaking to Autocar, Porsche boss Michael Macht says, "There is no one inside Porsche who doesn't want to build the 918," later adding, "The 918 Spyder proves the answer to whether there can be high-performance cars in the future." If this concept does get the green light for production, we could likely see it hit the streets within the next five years. We'll do our best to remain patient.
[Source: Autocar]Report: Porsche really, really wants to build 918 Spyder. Really. originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments | Final three World Car of the Year finalists announced
Filed under: New York Auto Show, Hybrid, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Chevrolet, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Toyota, Volkswagen, Ferrari, Diesel  The votes from 59 international journalists have been counted and the finalists for World Car of the Year have been named. The Detroit News is reporting that the Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Polo and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class have made the final cut, and the three vehicles will go toe-to-toe on April 1st (no foolin') at the start of the New York Auto Show, which is where the World COTY award is announced.
On the performance vehicle front, the Audi R8 V10, Porsche 911 GT3 and Ferrari California are jockeying for the big prize. We feel sorry for the judges who have to choose from among these three junkers, but we're sure they'll somehow make it fun for themselves.
Design finalists are the Citroen C3 Picasso, Kia Soul and Chevrolet Camaro, and from the green category we have the previously mentioned Prius, the Honda Insight and Volkswagen's BlueMotion diesel offerings. Check back on these pages to see the winners of the individual categories when they are announced in New York on April Fool's Day.
[Source: The Detroit News]Final three World Car of the Year finalists announced originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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